All the suspensions are without pay, and expect all players to appeal within the required three days. According to ESPN, all four suspended players had already decided to appeal. There could be a legal battle forthcoming between the NFLPA and the league.

"After seeing the NFL's decision letters, the NFLPA has still not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players' involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program," NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said in a statement. "We have made it clear that punishment without evidence is not fair. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf."

However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed his belief that the punishments were justified in a statement released by the league.

“No bounty program can exist without active player participation,” Goodell’s statement said. “The evidence clearly showed that the players being held accountable today willingly and enthusiastically embraced the bounty program. Players put the vast majority of the money into this program and they share responsibility for playing by the rules and protecting each other within those rules.”

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Vilma said: "I intend to fight this injustice, to defend my reputation, to stand up for my team and my profession and to send a clear signal to [Goodell] that the process has failed, to the detriment of me, my teammates, the Saints and the game."

Likewise, Will Smith vehemently denied any involvement and said he would appeal.

"I have never in my career, nor as a captain asked others, to intentionally target and hurt specific opposing players. I was in no way involved in establishing ... a bounty program. The accusations made against me are completely and one-hundred percent false, and I plan to appeal," he said via statement sent by his publicist.

"Through this entire process, the NFL never notified me of what I was being accused of, nor presented me with any evidence or reasoning for this decision. I am interested in discovering who is making these specific and false accusations, and as well as why a decision was made without speaking with me and giving me the opportunity to review the facts."

The league had already suspended Saints coach Sean Payton for the season. Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely, general manager Mickey Loomis is suspended eight games, and assistant coach Joe Vitt is suspended for six. Payton's ban began in mid-April. Loomis and Vitt will begin their banishment when the NFL preseason concludes.

"What Roger Goodell has done—and he's been harsh on the coaches and players involved—I think he's doing the right thing to make sure this doesn't happen ever again," New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning said during a conference call on Wednesday. "There's no room for any type of bounty system in the NFL."

Goodell last month also fined the Saints $500,000 and docked two second-round picks, the first in the 2012 NFL Draft.

NFL investigators concluded that from 2009 to 2011 the Saints offered improper cash bonuses for big hits that either knocked opponents out of games or left them needing help off the field.

This had already been the worst offseason in Saints history. On Wednesday, it got worse.